Archery range gets sweetheart deal on land

Recently, the county government has been subverting the will of the voters.

The Greene County budget is divided into 11 funds, plus a miscellaneous fund. The funds are shown on page 21 of the 2014 Greene County budget. These funds are the sources of county revenue.

Voters approved specific taxes going to specific areas of county government, some controlled by specific boards.

For years, the county has planned an extension of Kansas Expressway to the south.

In a letter dated May 21, 2003, then-Presiding Commissioner David Coonrod indicated the plan was to give the excess land to the Park Board when that corridor was completed. Completion of the Kansas corridor required the county to purchase several properties.

A 37-acre tract known as "the Davis property" is part of that corridor.

On April 14, 2010, Greene County purchased the property for $2,255,000, using county highway funds. The owner was allowed to remain on the property for one year, rent free.

At the April 18, 2011, meeting, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board asked the Greene County Commission to place a countywide parks sales tax on the August ballot. On May 24, 2011, the County Commission decided not to place the tax on the ballot.

Emails between administrators at the Parks Department and the county highway department indicated the Park Board wanted the Davis property for a Community Olympic Development Program, specifically an archery program.

The minutes of the Oct. 11, 2013, Park Board meeting proposed a joint-use agreement. This would be a 10-year "lease" with an option to purchase the property if funds became available.

The minutes indicated there were no capital funds for future park development or land acquisition.

On Dec. 23, 2013, the city of Springfield, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and Greene County entered into an intergovernmental agreement. The stated purpose of the agreement was "to potentially assist in the support and further development of the Community Olympic Development Programs."

The term of the agreement was 10 years, with an extension option by mutual agreement. The Park Board had the option to purchase the property during the initial term or any extension for $2,255,000, less the value of the Kansas Expressway corridor land.

The price for this option agreement was $10.

That's right, $10 for use of the land for at least 10 years.

This was not a "lease" agreement. Was this illegal? Probably not. Was it unethical? Absolutely.

The Park Board is now able to build the archery range on land paid for by highway funds for $10.

The voters did not approve highway funds to support archery ranges. This is circumventing the purpose of having designated funds for specific projects.

How many other times has this been done?

These unethical practices will continue until we have a complete overhaul of the way we fund and run local government.